Antler size of younger males also influenced relative 

 harvest rates, depending on the structure of the general 

 hunting season. During hunting seasons when only antlered 

 males were legal game, a significantly greater proportion of 

 yearling males with 2 antler points or more per side were 

 harvested than occurred in the post-season population 

 (X 2 =9.39, df=2, P=0.01; Table 6.4). Although contributions of 

 each antler class to the total chi-square value were similar, 

 selection against "spike"-antlered yearling males provided the 

 greatest contribution. During hunting seasons when any deer 

 could be harvested on the general license (A-tag) , the 

 distribution of antler points per side for yearling males in 

 the harvested sample was not statistically different from that 

 of the post-season population (X 2 =1.99, df=2, P= 0.39). 



Table 6.4. Antler points per side of yearling males for 



harvested samples and post-season populations 

 during antlered male only and any deer 

 hunting seasons. 



a 1976-80 and 1985 and 1986 

 b 1960-64, 1971, and 1981-84 

 c Number (proportion) 



Although there may be some hunter selection for larger- 

 antlered yearling males during all years, the lesser degree of 

 selection apparent during any-deer seasons may, at least 

 partially, result from small antlered "spikes" being shot as 

 antlerless deer (Wood 1987). Conversely, during antlered 

 male-only seasons, many "spikes", especially those some 

 distance away, may not be perceived as males, thereby lowering 

 their harvest rate. 



Dispersal may have affected mortality rates of yearling 

 males. Only 6 (29%) of 21 yearling males that remained within 

 the population were shot, while 6 (50%) of 12 yearling males 

 that left the area were shot. Some of the yearling males that 

 left the population unit and were shot had dispersed into 

 obviously less secure habitat. Others, however, dispersed to 



166 



